Well, it’s been 2 weeks since I started biking to work.  Unfortunately, my quadriceps *still* ache every time I ride (even on the “mostly” flat areas).  I did some research, and it’s because of my somatotype.

I am what physiologist would classify as an “ectomorph”… 

Ectomorphic: characterized by long and thin muscles/limbs and low fat storage; usually referred to as slim.

I was graced with height and being skinny.  Unfortunately, it also means that I’m also “gifted” with a lack of muscle building ability.  So, it looks like a few more weeks of burning, achy quads before my body finally adapts and gets enough muscle to power myself across level ground.  

I am determined though, to make it to the point where I no longer have pain just riding on flat roads.

Blah… Riding in the rain without bike fenders sucks!

Of course, this is Seattle… Sunny weather is an anomaly. What did I expect?

Thankfully I made it through about 90% of my ride before it actually started “raining” (Seattleites know what I mean… Not drizzling…not sprinkling… Raining.) so I didn’t get *completely* soaked. But, my pants are wet along my back, so sitting on the bus is loads of fun.

Hopefully I’ll have some semblance of driness by the time I get to work.

Well, it’s been exactly one week since I started bicycling to work.

Last night I reached another milestone, I was able to ride *all* the way home without stopping to rest, or push the bike! For those of you who know where I live, you understand; making it up that hill is not an easy feat (well, at least being this out of shape).

Here’s to many more weeks of riding.

Who the @$%# thinks that soundtracks to a website is a good idea?

There is nothing more annoying than browsing to a site and all of sudden to hear music or sound effects that you weren’t expecting.  Today, I followed a link to Acer’s “Aspire One” product page (http://www.acer.com/aspireone/) and I was greated to a shoddy 70’s inspired disco beat.  I had to scramble to turn down the volume on my desktop, lest my coworkers think I was browsing pr0n at work!

At least Acer was kind enough to provide an “audio control” button, many sites employing sounds either don’t have those, or the location is quite inconspicuous. 

But c’mon?  Sound?  On a website?  Does it really add anything to the experience?  In my encounters with the web, it has not, and has in most (if not all) cases been a deterrent to repeat visits.

Well, I’m still alive, so that’s a good thing.

I left a little earlier today to give myself time to leisurely ride to the bus stop.  It helped a little, but I found that I felt that I was riding too slow.  When I was a kid, it seemed much easier to go “really fast” on a bike.  I guess now that I’m old(er) it’s harder to propel my flabby ass forward.

So I get to the bus stop, and I started locking up my bike (thinking I had plenty of time) and all of a sudden the 158 comes zooming into the park-n-ride.  I scrambled to get my helmet into my backpack, clicked the lock closed and ran for the bus.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to take my seat off… it has a quick-release “bolt”, so I’m afraid that some hoodlum will take it (just to spite me).  Not that it’s incredibly comfortable or anything… but it’s pretty crappy to ride a bike with no seat.  Here’s hoping that it’s still there when I get back.  There was another bike with a quick-release seat that still had the seat, so my chances are higher.

When I got off the train in downtown, I decided to walk to my office for some extra exercise.  So, I rode my bike, rode a bus, rode a train, and walked… I’m a multi-modal-transporting fool!  Amazingly enough, walking the mile or so to work didn’t hurt as much as I thought it would.  My legs still feel like jello though.

Well, I went to the doctor’s on Saturday to get my dizziness checked out.  The doctor said it was most likely “Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo” or “Vestibular Neuronitis”.  Both diagnoses, indicate that it is not life threatening, and would go away shortly.

The doctor was right.  As of yesterday, I’m doing just fine.

The doctor also ordered up some blood tests (just in case), but I haven’t heard back on those… I guess I should call and find out.

To remind you just how out of shape you really are.

On the behest of my wife, I purchased a bicycle to start riding to work.  Today was my first day.

I took it easy, and only rode the mile from my house to the park-n-ride that Mary usually drives me to in the morning.  It took about 10-15 minutes ride, but I was also riding hard, to make sure that I wasn’t late for the bus (didn’t know how long it would take me, at first). 

So, now my legs feel like jello, and climbing stairs is interminably difficult at this point.  But it’s a good pain, I guess.

A few points of advice for anyone else who might be inspired by this act of physicality… make sure you bring water!  In my rush out the door, I didn’t fully prepare and so I was left without hydration.  Not fun.

Also, it’s probably a good idea to bring a change of clothes.  I slathered on an extra helping of deodorant this morning, and it’s working fine… but I think I’d be more comfortable if I was in non-sweaty clothes right now.

This morning and pretty much all day, I’ve been feeling that my equilibrium has been off.

Lots of reasons for it, fatigue (didn’t sleep well last night), high blood pressure (runs in the family), ear infection, or *gasp* brain tumors.

I’ve called my doctors office and they can fit me in tomorrow.

Hope I don’t start smelling burnt feathers (bonus points to anyone that gets that reference)!

Update: My lymph nodes are starting to ache and swell. Odds are good it’s just an ear infection.

Well, after agonizing for several minutes on that last post, I decided to see if there was a iPhone app for WordPress…

Turns out there is!

So, welcome to my inaugural post with that app. Since I carry my iPhone around everywhere, I have the perfect excuse to try and write more posts.

I have been playing around with the iPhone SDK, and I might actually try releasing an app or two!

Stay tuned!

Well, even though wordpress may be sexier… it obviously hasn’t motivated me to be any more consistent with posting.